It has been the practice to interconnect the ducted fan structure and the core gas generator of a ducted fan gas turbine engine and to further connect each to a common pylon projecting from a wing or fuselage of an associated aircraft. The result was that each unit had to be of sufficiently robust construction to absorb loads imposed upon it by the other, to thereby minimise undesirable relative movements therebetween during operation. The arrangement engendered weight penalties.
Another arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,625 and comprises forming an axial portion of the core gas generator cowling into an annular member and supporting it via struts from a pylon. Operating loads as well as the weight of the engine are thus transferred via the struts, and the pylon, to associated aircraft structure. Further, the chordal dimensions of the struts and the axial length of the annular cowl portion, are such as to counter turning forces about a fulcrum in the plane of the struts. Again, in the arrangement of 4,785,625 weight is a penalty, along with the complicated remaining structure shown and claimed therein.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved ducted fan gas turbine engine mounting arrangement.
According to the present invention a ducted fan gas turbine engine mounting arrangement comprises a pylon connectable to aircraft structure, said pylon including a yoke to which the compressor module of a core gas generator of the ducted fan gas turbine engine is connected said yoke and said compressor module being in radially spaced apart relationship, interconnection means being provided to interconnect said yoke and said compressor module in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of said engine, such that vertical side and thrust loads exerted by said ducted fan gas turbine engine are transmitted via said interconnection means and pylon, to a said aircraft when the ducted fan gas turbine is operating thereon.